The March 2024 Google Core Update sent shockwaves through the SEO world. Many websites saw a significant drop in organic traffic, leaving website owners scrambling for answers. If you’re one of them, take a deep breath! This isn’t the time to panic. Let’s get to the bottom of why your traffic might have dipped and explore actionable strategies to get your website back on track and thriving in the new search landscape.
Is It Organic Traffic?
Before diving in, it’s crucial to confirm the source of the traffic decline. While organic traffic is our primary concern, use Google Analytics to verify if the overall traffic drop is specific to organic channels or if there’s a broader issue. This will help you focus your diagnosis and recovery efforts.
Understanding the March 2024 Core Update
Google’s core updates are designed to improve search results quality and user experience. This particular update focused on:
- Reducing “Unhelpful” Content: Google aimed to demote content created solely for SEO ranking purposes, prioritizing content that genuinely informs and helps users.
- Combating Scaled Content Abuse: The update targeted websites employing manipulative tactics like using expired domains or churning out low-quality content at scale to boost rankings.
- Enhancing Site Reputation: Google emphasized the importance of website reputation and user trust as ranking factors.
Why Your Traffic Might Have Dropped
Here are some reasons your organic traffic might have suffered after the update:
- Low-Quality Content: If your website relied heavily on thin, uninformative content or keyword-stuffed articles, Google might have downgraded its ranking.
- Focus on SEO Over User Experience: Prioritizing keyword stuffing and manipulative tactics over creating valuable content for users could have hurt your ranking.
- Website Reputation Issues: Negative user reviews, spammy backlinks, or a history of manipulative SEO practices could have damaged your website’s reputation in Google’s eyes.
- Technical SEO Errors: Unoptimized website structure, slow loading times, or mobile-friendliness issues could be hindering your visibility.
Taking Action and Diagnosis
Before diving into recovery strategies, it’s crucial to diagnose the potential cause of your traffic decline. Here’s how to leverage Google Search Console to get started:
- Check Your Pages’ Index Status and Potential Deranking: Use the
site:yourwebsite.comcommand in Google Search. This will show you how many of your pages are indexed in Google’s search results. If you notice a significant decrease in the number of indexed pages compared to before the update, it could indicate deranking or indexing issues.- Scenario 1: Significant Decrease in Indexed Pages: This suggests potential indexing problems. Analyze the search results to see if relevant pages are missing. You can also use the URL Inspection tool in Google Search Console to check the indexing status of specific pages and identify any issues preventing them from being indexed.
- Scenario 2: Indexed Page Count Remains Stable: If the number of indexed pages hasn’t changed significantly, deranking due to content or technical SEO issues might be the culprit.
- Review Manual Actions Notices: Within Google Search Console, navigate to the “Manual Actions” section. If you see any notices regarding violations of Google’s webmaster guidelines, this could be a major reason for your traffic drop. Address any identified issues promptly.
By following these steps, you can gain valuable insights into whether your website has been deranked or if indexing issues are playing a role in your traffic decline. This diagnosis will help you determine the most appropriate course of action for recovery.
Recovering Your Organic Traffic
Don’t despair! Here’s how to get your organic traffic back on the rise:
- Focus on High-Quality Content: Create informative, engaging content that genuinely addresses your target audience’s needs. Invest in well-researched content that provides value and establishes your website as an authority.
- Prioritize User Experience: Ensure your website offers a smooth user experience with clear navigation, fast loading times, and mobile-friendliness.
- Build Website Reputation: Earn high-quality backlinks from reputable websites and actively manage your online reputation by addressing negative reviews.
- Fix Technical SEO Issues: Run a technical SEO audit to identify and fix any website structure or technical issues that might be impacting your ranking.
- Stay Updated on Google’s Guidelines: Keep yourself informed on the latest Google SEO guidelines and best practices to ensure your website stays compliant with future updates.
Additional Tips
- Analyze Search Console Data: Leverage Google Search Console to analyze your traffic patterns and identify specific keywords or content areas that need improvement.
- Refine Your Keyword Strategy: Focus on relevant keywords that demonstrate search intent and align with your content strategy.
- Embrace Long-Tail Keywords: Explore targeting long-tail keywords that represent more specific user queries, potentially leading to higher conversion rates.
- Monitor Your Backlink Profile: Regularly monitor your backlink profile and disavow any low-quality links that could be harming your reputation.
Remember: Organic traffic growth takes time and consistent effort. By focusing on creating high-quality content, prioritizing user experience, and maintaining a healthy website reputation, you can recover from the update and build a sustainable organic traffic strategy for the long run.
